How to Celebrate World Hello Day on November 21

You probably already know how to say "hello" in several languages thanks to family, friends and language classes, but you can get a

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little more practice with your communication skills on World Hello Day. It was established in response to the Yom Kippur War in 1973. The premise is to say hello to ten different people throughout the day in an effort to promote world peace by communicating with others. Other than celebrating World Hello Day yourself, you can also use it as a teaching tool for kids.

Learn to say "Hello" in several languages

Considering the idea behind World Hello Day, learning to say "hello" in different languages is a great place to start. "Hello" in Czech is Ahoj, in Turkish it's Merhaba, in Polish it's Cześć, Italian it's Ciao, Spanish it's Hola, and in French it's Bonjour. For even more ways to say "hello" in other languages, visit the Care2 "Say 'Hello' Around the World" list.

Say "Hello" to strangers

As you walk around, chances are you're on your phone, in a rush, or have music blasting in your ears. On World Hello Day, make an effort to be more approachable to those around you – take the headphones off, stay off your phone, and slow down a bit rather than rushing from place to place. This allows people to say "Hello" to you and also gives you a chance to say "Hi" to those around you as well. You could end up having some really great conversations and meeting some fascinating people.

Contact people you haven't talked to in awhile

Even with all of the technology that helps us stay in contact with others, sometimes life gets in the way and we end up losing touch with some friends and acquaintances. Consider World Hello Day a chance to reconnect with people in your life or from your past. If there are some you haven't talked to in awhile, send them a text or a card or call them to say "Hi" and ask how they're doing.

Research how various cultures greet each other

When visiting another country, one of the first things to learn is the customary greeting in that culture and also what is considered rude or improper, not only so you don't get caught off guard, but also so you don't offend anyone. Depending on the culture, the proper greeting may be a bow, a firm handshake, a single or double kiss on the cheek, a hug, or a variety of others. A handshake is a standard fail-safe greeting in the United States, but you may notice people in one area greet each other differently than those in another area or it may just vary from person-to-person. For example, I shake a stranger's hand, but I kiss the cheek of a family member, friend, and acquaintance. A Persian acquaintance of mine gives a kiss on both cheeks while a Columbian friend kisses once on the right cheek. For more information on the greetings in various cultures, visit Kwintessential.co.uk.

Celebrating World Hello Day on November 21 is a chance to learn other languages as well as learn more about other cultures. When we take time to learn about the lives of others throughout the world, we tend to develop a deeper understanding of people and cultures as well, which isn't just beneficial for us as individuals, but also in terms of society as a whole.